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Biomedical subjects

A Otsuka

Publications and source records attributed to A Otsuka.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Temporary hyperglycaemia provokes monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in rat thoracic aorta.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Several epidemiological data suggest that patients with postprandial hyperglycaemia are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of a glucose 'spike' on monocyte adhesion to rat aortic endothelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in vivo was quantitated using an en face method for observation of endothelial surface after immunohistochemical staining for CD68 in the thoracic aortas of Sprague-Dawley rats after several kinds of blood glucose rises. RESULTS: The number of monocytes adhering to endothelial cells increased at 30 min after injection of glucose in 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. The increased adhesion returned to the basal level at 120 min after glucose injection, concomitantly with the return of blood glucose levels to normal. The infusion of octreotide to inhibit endogenous insulin secretion did not prevent the glucose-induced increase in monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. On the other hand, the number of monocytes adhering to endothelial cells did not increase in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and sustained hyperglycaemia. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our data demonstrate that a temporary rise in blood glucose levels can in itself promote a reversible increase in monocyte adhesion to arterial endothelial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Structure of the beta-chain (B29) gene of the chicken B-cell receptor and conserved collinearity with genes for potential skeletal muscle sodium channel and growth hormone.

Abstract. Reported here is the cloning of the gene for the beta-chain (Ig beta) of the chicken B-cell receptor for antigen. A cDNA library made from B lymphocyte-derived DT40 cells was first screened with a beta-chain cDNA clone from rat. A full-length clone (1556 bp) was obtained encoding a 226-amino-acid beta-chain having 40% sequence identity with the highly conserved beta-chains present in mammals and producing mRNA of 1.7 kb. Clones containing the full B29 gene encoding chicken Ig beta were isolated and fully sequenced. As in mammals, the chicken B29 gene consists of six exons. The chicken B29 gene is somewhat larger (4336 bp) than that of rat (3.1 kb) and human (3.6 kb). Genome collinearity was found in the region of the chicken B29 gene. Genes for potential skeletal muscle sodium channel (2.2 kb upstream) and for growth hormone (2.3 kb downstream) were found in the same order and transcriptional orientation as in mammals, though the genes are more closely positioned in the chicken.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Physical and transcriptional map of a 311-kb segment of chromosome 18q21, a candidate lung tumor suppressor locus.

Here, we report the complete genomic sequence and the characterization of the 311-kb region of 18q21, a candidate tumor suppressor locus containing a region of homozygous deletion in a lung cancer cell line, Ma29. This region contained two known genes, SMAD4 and ME2 (mitochondrial malate oxydoreductase), and two novel genes, D29 (deleted in Ma29 HGMW-approved symbol ELAC1), encoding an evolutionarily conserved protein, and B29 (beside the Ma29 deletion HGMW-approved symbol C18orf3), with no significant homology to any known genes. The deleted DNA segment in Ma29, which was estimated to be 195 kb in size, included all the coding exons of ME2 and D29, but not the coding exons of SMAD4 and B29. The deleted region also included exon 0, a 5'-noncoding exon, of SMAD4, and the expression of SMAD4 was greatly reduced in Ma29 cells. Mutations of SMAD4 and D29 were detected in 1 of 45 lung cancer cell lines examined, while those of ME2 and B29 were not detected, indicating that these four genes are not major targets for 18q21 deletions. The physical and transcriptional map constructed in this study will provide basic information for the identification of a tumor suppressor gene(s) at 18q21 involved in lung carcinogenesis.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed2001

Additive effects of nicorandil on coronary blood flow during continuous administration of nitroglycerin.

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) should be treated with nicorandil, an adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel opener, in addition to the regular use of nitrates. BACKGROUND: It has been reported that nicorandil possibly has additive effects on nitroglycerin (NTG) treatment for angina, but the mechanism is not clear. METHODS: We directly measured anterograde coronary blood flow (CBF) with a Doppler guide wire to examine the effects of intravenous administration of NTG (0.3 mg) and nicorandil (6 mg) during continuous administration of NTG at a sufficient dose (25 microg/min) in subjects with normal and stenotic coronary arteries. RESULTS: Additional systemic administration of NTG decreased anterograde CBF (normal -19.7%; stenotic -21.2%). In contrast, nicorandil increased anterograde CBF in both normal (54.6%) and stenotic (89.6%) coronary arteries, without the coronary steal phenomenon. There was a tendency toward nicorandil-dilated diameters in the patients with stenotic arteries (p = 0.06). There were no effects of additional administration on pulmonary artery wedge pressure. There was no difference in changes in heart rate and mean aortic blood pressure between NTG and nicorandil therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in patients treated with nitrates, additional administration of nicorandil is more useful, in terms of increasing CBF, than additional administration of nitrates. Adjunctive use of nicorandil with nitrates may provide the further benefit of myocardial protection and may improve the prognosis of patients with IHD.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Determination of S-[2-carboxy-1-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]glutathione, a novel metabolite of L-histidine, in tissue extracts from sunlight-irradiated rat by capillary electrophoresis.

Exposure of the skin to sunlight results in an increase in the content of epidermal urocanic acid, a key metabolite of L-histidine, and some portions of the metabolite penetrate into the body fluid. S-[2-Carboxy-1-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]glutathione (GS(CIE)), an adduct of glutathione and urocanic acid, was proposed to be an origin of a urinary compound, S-[2-carboxy-1-(1 H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]-L-cysteine (Cys(CIE)). Various catabolites of Cys(CIE) were also isolated from human urine previously. However, no direct evidence to show the existence of GS(CIE) as a biological material had been found. By using capillary electrophoresis, the glutathione adduct has now been found in the extracts of rat tissues from the kidney, liver, skin and blood when the rat was kept under conditions of sunlight irradiation after the fur on the dorsal skin had been clipped. On the other hand, no or a trace of GS(CIE) was determined in rat tissue extracts when the animal was kept indoor in usual manner. The glutathione adduct was isolated from the kidney extract of the sunlight-irradiated rat using ion-exchangers and high-voltage paper electrophoresis, and determined by fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry. These results indicate that GS(CIE) formation actually occurs in the body and that the formation is accelerated by exposing the rat to sunlight irradiation. From these findings, we propose an alternative pathway of histidine metabolism which is initiated by the adduction of urocanic acid to glutathione to form GS(CIE) and terminates with the formation of the urinary compounds via Cys(CIE).

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Solubilization of phytosterols in diacylglycerol versus triacylglycerol improves the serum cholesterol-lowering effect.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the difference in the serum-cholesterol- and triglyceride-lowering activities between phytosterols dissolved in diacylglycerol (PS/DG) and dispersed in triacylglycerol (PS/TG). The effects of the solvent on the concentrations of serum beta-sitosterol and campesterol were examined. DESIGN: The study had a randomised crossover design. SUBJECTS: Twelve healthy normocholesterolemic or moderately hypercholesterolemic men aged 29-50 y participated in this study. INTERVENTIONS: For 2 weeks before the test period (designated as the control period), all subjects consumed control mayonnaise (PS free) daily with supper and were randomly assigned to two groups for the 2 week test period; one group was given mayonnaise containing PS (500 mg/day) dissolved in DG (10 g/day), and the other mayonnaise containing PS (500 mg/day) dispersed in TG (10 g/day). After a wash out period consuming control PS-free mayonnaise for 4 weeks, the groups were reversed for 2 weeks. RESULTS: PS/TG feeding had no effect on the serum cholesterol level. In contrast, PS/DG feeding significantly reduced the total and LDL cholesterol levels from the initial value of 5.57 to 5.31 mmol/l (4.7%; P<0.05) and from 3.69 to 3.39 mmol/l (7.6%; P<0.05), respectively. Moreover, the degree of total cholesterol reduction induced by PS/DG feeding in the test period was significantly greater than that induced by PS/TG feeding (P<0.05). In addition, the serum beta-sitosterol and campesterol concentrations did not change during the PS/TG or PS/DG feeding periods. CONCLUSIONS: Dissolution of PS in DG had a better serum cholesterol lowering effect than dissolution in TG. SPONSORSHIP: Kao Corporation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Study of lymphocyte and NK cell activity during mild hypothermia therapy].

Infectious disease is a common complication of mild hypothermia therapy. However, very little has been reported about immune response during hypothermia. In the present study, the number and subset of peripheral lymphocytes and mitogen response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con-A) were examined in 14 patients who received mild hypothermia therapy. NK cell ratio and activity were also examined in the same patients. Six out of 14 patients had complicated infectious diseases during mild hypothermia therapy. Five of them had pneumonia and the remaining one had thrombophlebitis. The number of peripheral lymphocytes decreased in patients whose rectal temperature was less than 34.5 degrees C, whereas mitogen response of lymphocytes to PHA and Con-A remained unchanged in patients whose rectal temperature was above 34.0 degrees C. NK cell ratio and cytotoxicity decreased in patients whose rectal temperature was less than 34.5 degrees C, including infectious cases. These results suggested that, under hypothermia therapy, immune responses of the patients whose rectal temperature was less than 34.5 degrees C were disturbed because of the reduced number of peripheral lymphocytes and depression of NK cell activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Structure, expression, and conserved physical linkage of mouse testicular cell adhesion molecule-1 (TCAM-1) gene.

Isolation and characterization were performed for cDNA encoding mouse testicular cell adhesion molecule-1 (TCAM-1) using 2908 bases coding for a protein having 548 amino acids (60 kDa). Mouse TCAM-1 protein was found to consist of seven domains for signal sequence, five immunoglobulin (Ig) domains, and the transmembrane plus cytoplasmic domain. TCAM-1 gene and the region linking it to growth hormone (GH) gene located downstream from the TCAM-1 gene were then analyzed. The mouse TCAM-1 gene was 11.6 kb in length with 8 exons; the same as for the 12.0 kb rat gene. The distance from the TCAM-1 to GH gene was 12.5 kb in the mouse genome, and 7.6 kb in the rat. By Northern hybridization, 3.1-kb TCAM-1 mRNA was detected in 17-day testis and would appear present in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Bilateral basal-cell adenomas in the parotid glands.

A rare case of bilateral basal-cell adenomas in the parotid glands of a 65-year-old woman is reported. There have been only four previous reported cases of bilateral parotid basal-cell adenomas, all of which occurred synchronously with dermal cylindromas. The present lesion is the first case reported in the English literature of bilateral parotid basal-cell adenoma without coexisting dermal cylindroma. Histological examination revealed that the left tumour had adenoid cystic change, which closely resembled adenoid cystic carcinoma. This case is of interest not only because of the raity of bilateral parotid basal-cell adenomas, but also because of the necessity for differentiation from adenoid cystic carcinoma in order to plan appropriate treatment.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2000

[A case of non-convulsive status epilepticus worsened Wernicke's aphasia reversely].

A 62-year-old right-handed woman had presented progressive speech impediment over 4 months. She was alert without any convulsions or involuntary movements. Neurological examination showed Wernicke's aphasia, constructional apraxia. Her magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an old cerebral infarction in the left parieto-occipital area, in addition to ischemic changes in the bilateral deep white matter. Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) predominant in the posterior left hemisphere. The PLEDs as well as the cortical symptoms improved after an administration of anti-convulsive agents, thus establishing the diagnosis of non-convulsive status epilepticus (NSE). It should be emphasized that NSE manifesting as Wernicke's aphasia should be distinguished from dementia syndrome because it is a treatable disorder.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1999

Endothelium is involved in the vasorelaxation by an ATP-sensitive K+ channel opener, NIP-121.

Possible involvement of endothelium was examined in the vasorelaxation of rat aorta in response to NIP-121 ((+)-7,8-dihydro-6,6-dimethyl-7-hyroxy-8-(2-oxo-1-piperidinyl)-6H- pyrano[2,3-f]benz-2,1,3-oxadiazole), an ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channel opener. The NIP-121-induced vasorelaxation was greater in endothelium-intact preparations than in endothelium-denuded ones. In the presence of glibenclamide, which inhibits K(ATP) channels, NIP-121-induced vasorelaxations were of a similar extent in both endothelium-intact and -denuded preparations. These findings suggest that the presence of endothelium plays a role in the vasorelaxation in response to K(ATP) channel openers.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1999

Pure apraxic agraphia with abnormal writing stroke sequences: report of a Japanese patient with a left superior parietal haemorrhage.

A 67 year old Japanese male patient had pure agraphia after a haemorrhage in the left superior parietal lobule. He developed difficulty in letter formation but showed no linguistic errors, consistent with the criteria of apraxic agraphia. He manifested a selective disorder of sequencing writing strokes, although he was able to orally state the correct sequences. The patient's complete recovery after 1 month, without new learning, showed that he had manifested a selective disorder of writing stroke sequences. These findings indicate that the final stage of the execution of writing according to acquired sequential memory shown as a stroke sequence can be selectively disturbed, and should be considered to be distinct from the ability of character imagery and the knowledge of the writing stroke sequence itself. This case also indicates that the left superior parietal lobule plays an important part in the execution of writing.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Glycyrrhetinic acid-sensitive mechanism does not make a major contribution to non-prostanoid, non-nitric oxide mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat mesenteric artery in response to acetylcholine.

Pharmacological characteristics of non-prostanoid (PGI2), non-NO mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh) were examined in the isolated rat mesenteric artery, especially focusing on the possible contribution of the gap junctional communication in the response. ACh produced an endothelium-dependent relaxation of the isolated rat mesenteric artery with functional endothelium in the presence of both indomethacin (3 x 10(-6) M) and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10(-4) M), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). ACh-induced relaxation of the rat mesenteric artery in the presence of indomethacin and L-NAME was strongly attenuated in the solution containing high (80 mM) KCl, tetraethylammonium (TEA) (10(-2) M), which suggests the involvement of endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s) (EDHF(s)) in the response. Non-PGI2, non-NO mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh was not profoundly affected by glibenclamide (10(-6) M), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) (10(-4) M), iberiotoxin (10(-7) M), agitoxin-2 (10(-8) M), or apamin (10(-7) M), but was abolished by the treatment with apamin (10(-7) M) plus charybdotoxin (10(-7) M). Non-PGI2, non-NO mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh was not substantially affected by arachidonic acid (AA) (10(-4) M) or ONO-RS-082 (10(-5) M), an inhibitor of phospholipase A2, which rules out the involvement of AA metabolites in the vascular response. Furthermore, a gap junction inhibitor, 18alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid (18alpha-GA) did not show dramatic inhibitory effect on non-PGI2, non-NO mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by ACh. These findings suggest that 1) metabolites of AA are not involved in non-PGI2, non-NO mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh in the isolated rat mesenteric artery; 2) Heterocellular gap junctional communication does not mainly account for non-PGI2, non-NO mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation evoked by ACh in this artery.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1998

[Adhesive properties and related phenomena for powdered pharmaceuticals].

This report deals with adhesive properties and related phenomena of powdered materials including pharmaceuticals. The adhesive force between a powder particle and substrate as well as the tensile strength of a powder bed and tablet was measured. Various factors were found to affect powder adhesion. Physical properties such as the size, shape and surface roughness were examined. The adhesive force between a particle and substrate decreased remarkably in the presence of ultrafine particles, which is of interest since the addition of adequate amount of "glidant" causes an increase in powder fluidity. From a pharmaceutical point of view, temperature and humidity were essential to particle adhesion. For several organic substances, the adhesive force increased significantly at homologous temperatures more than ca. 0.7, suggesting the sintering mechanism to be operative. The adhsive force between polymer films and glass beads varied according to polymer and relative humidity. A close correlation of water sorbed by the polymer film with adhesive force was noted. In connection with powder fluidity, compaction properties were studied by the centrifugal and tapping methods. Apparent adhesion defined as the ratio of the adhesive force between two contacting particles to the external force acting on a particle was noted to be the primary determinant of the void fraction or the porosity of the powder bed, indicating that the probability of particle displacement essentially depended on apparent adhesion.

Adhesiveness↗